If the idea of sitting inside an office building staring at a computer screen or working on paper files causes you anxiety and stress, you may want to pursue a career that gets you out of the office and away from a cubicle. There are many out-of-the-office jobs available that can be pursued with just a few months of training at a technical school or by working as an apprentice. Here are just a few examples.

Electrician

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that by 2022, there will be a 20 percent increase in jobs for electricians. This is a faster than average job growth rate. Although you can learn how to be an electrician by working as an apprentice, receiving comprehensive training at a technical school in an Electrical Technologies program may increase your chances of employment.

The job requires you to be able to read blueprints and be aware of state and local building codes. You will work both indoors and outdoors. You will work in homes, schools, factories and construction sites. You will travel to different job sites within your city and may even have opportunities to travel outside your town and even outside of your state.

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

By 2022, the need for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (HVAC/R technicians), according to the BLS, will increase by about 21 percent, which is a faster job growth rate than average. The work focuses on ventilation and systems that control temperature. As HVAC/R systems are complex, employers prefer applicants who have completed an HVACR training program.

In this career, you will travel to different worksites almost daily. You will work both indoors and outdoors, in homes, schools, factories, construction sites and office buildings. HVAC/R mechanics and technicians also work on vents, ducts, pipes and other components of the cooling and heating systems. There is year-round work available. As would be expected, summer time finds cooling systems in need of maintenance and repair and in the winter time, there is an abundance of work to do on heating systems.

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Solar Panel Installer

According to the International Energy Agency, by 2050, solar power will generate more than 11 percent of the world’s electricity. By 2020, solar power will be competitive with other sources of power with North America being both the largest consumer and producer of solar energy. Much of that solar power will come from panels installed on rooftops.

Learning how to be a solar panel installer offers you opportunities to either work for a company or start your own business. Solar panel installers can complete a technical training program in less than a year. You can also obtain certification through the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) and start your own business and be your own boss. Certification is not a requirement for being an installer, but it helps establish your credibility as an expert in the field.

General Construction Careers

There are a number of careers available in the construction industry. Despite a recent recession, reports are that the economy is improving and construction workers are once more in demand. Whether you are a general construction worker or a construction manager, you will be able to work outdoors most of the time and not be confined to four walls and a desk. According to the BLS, by 2022, jobs for construction laborers and helpers will grow by 25 percent, which is a much faster growth rate than the average job growth rate.

You can specialize and just work in one area of construction, such as installing the electrical wiring, plumbing or insulation, lay bricks or put up drywall. You can use your skills as a landscape architect or grounds maintenance specialist. The construction field is wide open and you should be able to find a career niche for yourself that will keep you out of the stereotypical daily office environment.

Accredited School, ACCSC. Licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Post Secondary Education. The AOS/MME program is the Associate of Occupational Studies in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering degree program and is not an academic degree. GI Bill® Eligible (check with local campus for specific eligibility). For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who complete our programs, and other important information, please visit our website at: http://www.refrigerationschool.com/about-rsi/regulatory-information/.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

*According to 2015 IPEDS data RSI has the largest total enrollment of students for all post-secondary schools in the U.S. offering both CIP codes Electromechanical Technology/Electromechanical Engineering and HVAC/R Engineering Technology/Technician.

**Financial aid available to those who qualify. Check with campus for scholarship eligibility.

1 Total number of estimated graduates for RSI calculated based on historic data available as of 1/20/16.

2 Phoenix Area's annual mean wage for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (499021) reported by BLS as of May 2016 http://data.bls.gov/oes. Average starting salary for Refrigeration Technologies is $33,206 for RSI graduates employed during the 12 month period of 7/1/15-6/30/16.

4 $0 registration fee & in-school payments of no more than $25 for students starting by September 30, 2017. Payment arrangements will be required for balances due prior to starting school. Offer applies to students receiving financial aid. Students making cash only payments are not eligible.

RSI The Refrigeration School is not affiliated with RSI Home Products, Inc. or its subsidiaries

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